Challenges of sporadic land registration in Palestine

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the challenges of sporadic land registration in the West Bank of Palestine. It recommended several legislative amendments based on problems identified by field research and comparative research. Following an intensive literature review, free discussions were conducted with a focused group of 19 experts in the West Bank to explore sporadic land registration related-problems. A quantitative questionnaire targeting a random sample of 202 persons who accomplished sporadic land registration transactions was conducted to identify their difficulties. In addition, legislative updates of some neighboring countries (Egypt and Jordan) have been highlighted to achieve the desired goals of the research. The research identified several legislative challenges for sporadic land registration in the West Bank. The conditions and procedures for sporadic land registration were issued in the sixties of the last century during the Jordanian rule of the West Bank and many military orders issued by the Israeli occupation authorities. The Palestinian Authority did not develop this legislation. Instead, it imposed high financial costs on citizens for land registration, contrary to the law's provisions. This paper recommended that the Palestinian Authority benefits from neighboring countries' experiences to facilitate sporadic land registration procedures and expenses.